American diner and British café offer a taste of home in France

A full English breakfast or a stack of pancakes might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you imagine dining in France.

From big cities to tiny villages, however, British and American eateries are challenging preconceived ideas of Anglo-American cuisine and winning new French fans in the process. 

They are also building communities of Britons and Americans looking for a nostalgic taste of home. 

Breakfast in America, Paris

When Craig Carlson, 61, first visited Paris to work in TV in the 1990s, the one thing he missed was an American breakfast. This sparked an idea to open a diner in the French capital. 

“My friends laughed, reminding me that I had never run my own business. But I was convinced that having a breakfast joint in the culinary capital of the world would make Paris perfect,” he says.

He opened Breakfast in America in 2003. It now has three branches across Paris, attracting locals keen to try a real US diner to Americans craving familiar flavours. 

“American expats are a special breed,” says Mr Carlson. “Many of us have integrated into French society, but sometimes miss a taste of home. There's something about comfort food, in a friendly, unpretentious setting, that helps serve as a cultural bridge.”

The diners hold special events, such as Thanksgiving dinners, to which many Americans in Paris bring their French friends “to show them what all the fuss is about”. 

“When I was putting my business plan together, one thing I stressed was that I wanted to offer something more than ‘fast food’, which was the cliché that most French people I knew thought of American cuisine,” says Mr Carlson.

More recently, he has faced another challenge trying to rehabilitate his US-themed restaurant from a political standpoint, given current president Donald Trump’s reputation abroad.

“It has had a real impact on the business,” says Mr Carlson. “We’ve toyed with the idea – part tongue in cheek – of temporarily naming the diner Breakfast in Canada.” 

The British Book Club in Clermont-Ferrand

When it comes to British food culture, there are few places more iconic than the local pub.

The British Book Club (BBC) in Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme) draws a mixed crowd of local Britons, international students and French customers to its own iteration. 

“Our customer base is incredibly diverse: all ages, races, religions, nationalities. It is a very safe place for everyone to be themselves,” says Paul Ryan, 47, from Leamington Spa, who opened the pub in 2022. 

With a Ceefax-themed webpage and a menu that includes fish and chips and “a traditional Christmas dinner”, the BBC nods towards nostalgic themes and flavours. 

It also hosts popular events, from regular quiz nights to open mics. 

“We have 15-20 singers who regularly come to perform, and we created our own house band too.” 

It is not only in big cities where people are opening British-inspired cafés. 

The Mystic Café, Loire

Sandy Sohal, 38, from Birmingham, opened The Mystic Café in the village of Le Crozet (Loire), home to just over 200 people, in July 2025 with French co-owner Amina Feret.

“I wanted to create a place for people to meet up in our community as we don’t have many things to do here,” Ms Sohal says. 

The Franco-British inspiration has proved popular. “It’s definitely a cosy English vibe with the flavour of a French café,” she says. 

“Our favourite event is our Full English Breakfast on the first Sunday of every month.”

While British visitors have appreciated finding “a good pint”, the majority of regulars are French, who have fully embraced the British menu.

“They are usually the first to reserve their tables for our English breakfasts,” says Ms Sohal.

Perhaps the best proof of the British café phenomenon taking off in France is when the owners themselves are French. 

Very French Beans, Paris

Marine Cacciaguerra and Marine Pourtauborde, both 34, opened their British deli Very French Beans in Paris in 2023, inspired by their love of London, where they had both lived.

“When we moved back to France, we realised how difficult it was to find authentic British flavours so we decided to create somewhere you can grab a proper sausage roll, a cheddar toastie, or a cake, and feel transported straight to a British high street café,” they explain. 

The duo are on a mission to dispel the bad image that British food sometimes has in France.

“It was a personal challenge to show that British cuisine has its own charm, [even if] our ‘French touch’ may have convinced the neighbourhood to walk in at the beginning.”

And there is no doubt as to the most popular menu item: “The sausage roll – it’s our superstar, for breakfast, as a side, or a snack in the afternoon!” 

It seems their mission has worked as many French locals are now regulars. 

“They often tell us they’re surprised by how gourmand British food is – hearty, generous and full of personality. The warm welcome we’ve received has been really touching.”